Patience Like Water, Passion Like Flame
by Rosebug
Summary: When the Fire Nation wins the Hundred Year War, its soldiers come once again to the Southern Water Tribe to bring its citizens to the capital as slaves. Katara watches as her friends and family are sold and killed, and she vows to avenge them. But can she keep that vow when she meets the surly, rude, and somehow incredibly kind Prince Zuko? Zutara AU.
1. Blood is Thicker

Chapter One

Blood is Thicker

**You may think you know a story. A story of this world. A story of me. A story of him. You may think that, yes. And you are right. But this? This is not that story. I am not that girl. Nor is he that boy. In that world, the prince was banished. In that world, the Avatar was awakened. In that world, the Fire Lord was defeated. This is not that world. In other words…AU. **

I had not seen my father in two years. He had left to fight the Fire Nation with the other warriors of the Southern Water Tribe. I still believed that one day he would return to my brother, Sokka, and me.

I had not seen my mother in longer. But I knew she would never come back to us. Because she was dead. The Fire Nation had killed her.

The Fire Nation had taken both my parents away from me. But still, they were just a fading memory in my mind, proven only by the absence of my loved ones and an old navy ship on our village's coast.

They were not a part of my life, not truly. I was safe at my home. No one would ever come here again. Of that I was sure.

I kept on being sure until I saw the black soot falling with the white snow.

I didn't realize what was going on at first. It had been so long since that last raid that my mind couldn't find a reason for the unfamiliar sight. Or maybe I just could not accept it, so every part of me, even my memory, was rejecting it.

Only when I noticed the dark shape on the horizon did I remember.

I had been out collecting sea prunes, but I dropped my basket then and broke into a run. I had not gone far, so I reached the village quickly.

Gran Gran's tent was close. I went there first.

"Gran Gran!" I said as I pulled back the flap of tiger seal skin.

But it was empty. Without pause, I turned and headed for the great wall of ice and packed snow. That was where everyone would gather. That was where she would be. And Sokka.

I saw him first. He was standing on the wall, looking out towards the direction of the fog-hidden ship. I couldn't see his face, but I knew he would have painted it with the whites and grays of our tribe's warriors. His right hand gripped a club.

I kept running until I came to the other villagers.

"Gran Gran!" I shouted when I saw her. The old woman, my father's mother, turned. "Gran Gran, what's going on, why—?"

"Katara." She grasped my shoulder. "You must not show them your bending. They will kill you. You must not—"

I could feel the tears in my eyes. "What's happening?" I could not understand it. Why would they come now, after all this time?

"I don't know," she said. "But promise me; promise you will not let them see."

"But what if I could help Sokka, help beat them?"

"Katara, nothing can help us now. Promise. Promise me."

I looked at her for a long moment. "What are we going to do?" I asked.

"We are going to do what they tell us. We are going to obey. And we are going to survive. Promise me!"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I promise."

Gran Gran nodded at me.

And then the ship appeared. It loomed over the wall. The first thing we saw was its bow, a wicked spike that stuck up straight from it. Sokka was right before it. The bow opened and the spike fell forward.

It split the wall.

The spike landed on the snowy ground, forming a bridge for the soldiers to invade our home. Sokka slid back on the broken pieces of the wall until he came to a stop at the very tip of the bow. I wanted to yell at him to get away from there. He couldn't do it. He couldn't take out all the Fire Nation troops by himself. But I knew he would never come, even if I called for him. He would try to protect us even if it cost him his life.

Fire Nation troops began to walk down the bridge. Sokka did not wait for them to come to him. He dashed forward, screaming a battle cry, raising his club.

Two soldiers. He got through two soldiers before they captured him. There were too many for him. I'd already known.

They kept walking, dragging my brother along with them, until they were right before us. There were around twenty in all. There were thirty of us, but we were mostly old women and young children, none of us trained, all of us weaponless.

The man in front looked at us all, taking his time, and a smirk curled its way onto his lips.

"Pathetic," he said. "This is the Southern Water Tribe?"

My spine shook with rage. No, this was not the Southern Water Tribe! This was what the Southern Water Tribe had _become_! Because of them. Most of us were out fighting him and his kind! But I held my tongue.

"Well," he said. "At least some of you might be worth something."

"We'll never bow to you!" Sokka yelled from behind him. The soldier holding him hit him around the head, and he fell to the ground.

"Sokka!" I ran forward.

"Katara, stop!" Gran Gran called from behind me. I ignored her.

But the smirking man grabbed my hand and held me fast, even as I struggled against him.

"Yes," he said, pulling me close to him and looking at my face. "Some of you might be worth something."

I spat in his eye.

I didn't even see the blow coming, but the force of his slap sent me reeling to the side. He kept his hold on my wrist and lifted me up.

"Or maybe I should just kill you now and be done with."

I met his eyes and glared back into them. But I said nothing.

He laughed.

"You might be wondering why we're here. I'll tell you now: your wait is over! The Hundred Year War is through with and won. You are now subjects of the Fire Nation and Phoenix King Ozai."

No one spoke. I couldn't move.

"At this very moment, our troops are spreading throughout the whole world, occupying even the impregnable Ba Sing Se! But, I'm sorry to say, none of us wants to live here, in this ghastly place, and help rebuild. Thankfully, there are only a few of you here. So the Phoenix King, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, has decided that we are to bring you back to the Fire Nation Capital with us. Well," he chuckled. "Those of you who will be useful, anyway. But don't worry. The life of a slave isn't so hard, I've heard. As long as you remain obedient.

"Men," he said to the soldiers behind him. "Kill the old and the babes. We need able bodies, not weaklings."

"No!" I screamed, but the troops were already marching forward. "No! What are you doing? Stop! Stop it!" I was struggling and kicking. The man gripped me around the waist in a tight hug, holding my arms down.

Some of us tried to run. None escaped.

They killed all those above sixty and under four.

Gran Gran didn't try to get away. She stood tall and proud as they approached her. I was still shrieking and crying and writhing, but I could not help her. They cut her down with their cursed fire. And I didn't save her.

Only after he let me watch them kill me friends did their leader drag me into their ship.

* * *

The journey to the Fire Nation Capital was long and hard. They gave us little food and no bedding and forced us to stay below decks, where the swaying of the sea made many of us lose what meals they did provide us with. We cleaned as best we could, but soon filth overran the place. But the worst of it was the knowledge of what lay before us and the memory of what came behind. Our families were dead. And we were to be slaves to their killers for the rest of our lives. We barely spoke the whole trip.

And, too soon, the time came. The soldiers marched us off the ship and into the horrible heat of the Fire Nation Capital.

* * *

We stood on the auction block, looking down at the fashionable faces of those who were to be our owners. They were all so white, so pale. I was next to Sokka. Our hands were bound, but our shoulders at least were touching. It was the only way to say goodbye left to us.

I watched as men bought my friends. Sokka went before me.

"And here is a fine young man of the Southern Water Tribe, skilled and strong and healthy! Can I start the bidding at fifty silver pieces?"

A man in the crowd raised his hand.

"Fifty! We've got a call for fifty; can I get sixty? Sixty gold pieces for this sturdy lad!"

This time a woman near the back waved at the auctioneer.

"Sixty! Sixty, can I get seventy? Seventy? Come now, my good citizens, look at this well-built boy!"

The first man raised his hand again.

"Seventy silver pieces. Anyone for eighty? Eighty pieces? Look at this man! The last warrior of the Southern Water Tribe! No? No? Going once. Going twice. Sold, to the man in the front."

I couldn't cry anymore. I'd spent all my tears on the way here. Sokka's eyes met mine as they led him away. We had the same eyes, he and I. A bright blue, like our mother's. Like our father's. Blue was common in the Water Nation. I saw not a hint of it as I looked out into the crowd.

Then he was gone. And it was my turn. The auctioneer motioned for me to come forward, and I obeyed. I'd had enough of defiance on the ship. They had whipped us all into submission. It was better to do what they wanted. Resistance would help no one.

They'd put me in a new dress, dyed with blacks and deep reds, and given my face a bit of paint to highlight my features. It frightened me, what they were trying to do. I thought of what kind of man might buy a young girl looking like this and shuddered.

"Look at this exotic beauty!" the auctioneer called, putting his hand on my shoulder. "Loveliest girl of the Southern Water Tribe! Take notice of her voluptuous red lips and big blue eyes!"

I stiffened. He was using my eyes as a bargaining chip. My heritage was just a selling point to them. But I said nothing.

"Let's start the bidding at one gold piece!"

A hand went up almost as soon as the words left his mouth.

"One, to the big man on the left. Can I get two?"

Another hand.

I clenched my fists and stared straight ahead as my price rose, until at last the auctioneer said, "Sold, to the man in the middle!"

Only then did I look. My new owner was a man neither old nor young, with long black hair caught up in a knot at the top of his head. His gray eyes were sunken deep and clouded, and uneven stubble coated his chin and cheeks.

The guards around me took my arms and led me to him. When we reached him, they unbound me. I tried not to look at the man, but I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

He paid the guards the agreed upon price of ten gold pieces and put a hand on my arm. I followed him away from the crowd. His hands were sweaty on my skin.

And then I found my tears again. They rolled down my face as I tried to keep myself from sobbing.

I had never wanted to hurt anyone in my life, not truly. I sometimes flicked my brother's forehead or hit his arm, but never before had I wanted to cause actual pain.

The Fire Nation had taken everything from me. My mother. My father. My grandmother. My brother. My friends. My home. Everything.

And I swore that I _would_ hurt them for this.

I swore it to myself and to my family.

The Fire Nation would pay.


	2. Master

Chapter Two

Master

**[Author's Note: There are dark themes in this chapter. Nothing explicit though. Just be warned.]**

When we left the crowd of slavers behind, my new owner spoke to me for the first time. He had a rich voice, a voice that would fit well with laughter, but there was not a trace of laughter in it. Indeed, there was something odd about it. Something odd about him. His movements were short and jerky, and he refused to meet my eyes.

"Your name?" he asked.

I swallowed my tears, took a deep breath, and said, "Katara." My voice sounded strong again.

"Katara. You will call me 'Master.'" He hesitated, then added, "But my name is Gorou."

"Yes, Master," I said. There was something both disgusting and satisfying about speaking kindly to this man. Disgusting in that it meant I was bowing down to him. But satisfying because it was all a trick, a lie, and only I knew my real feelings.

"You will be doing simple jobs for me, such as cleaning and shopping and any other task I might require of you."

"Yes, Master." I didn't like the vagueness of that last bit. It left too many implications.

"Shun and I—" He stopped, then began again. "My wife and I have a few servants already, but they are all male, so we have prepared another room for you."

"Thank you, Master." He had a wife? I felt reassured, but then chided myself. Men like him, men with too much stubble who reeked of alcohol, could get bored with one woman. I was still not safe.

We walked in silence for a while. As we went, I fingered the pendant my mother had given me when I was young. It was all I had left of my family now. The soldiers had let me keep it only because, they said, it made me look exotic and would fetch them a higher price. Still, I was glad. Touching it gave me courage.

Gorou's home was far from the market. In fact, I wasn't sure if we were even in the same city. We passed through one pair of gates, then followed a long, zigzagging path uphill to what I could only see as a great crater. The gates we passed through then, going inside of the crater, were much more adorned than those of the other city, made mostly of gold with red metal flames crowning them. I guessed this man was of a higher class than I had thought.

The inside of the crater almost made me stop in my tracks. The houses seemed to shine in the setting sun. It smelled nice, sweet, like nothing I'd ever smelled before. There were trees all around me, beautiful trees with pink blossoms and silvery bark.

I must have been staring at them, because Gorou said, "Cherry blossoms. They look like this every spring."

"Yes, Master," I said, biting my lip.

At last, we arrived at his house. It was a bit smaller than the others and close to the wall. A middle-aged woman in a lovely red dress was sitting on one of the house's balconies. When she saw us, however, she stood and went inside. I looked at Gorou. He was staring at the place where she had been with a certain sheen in his eyes. Then he shook his head and led me inside.

A servant, a Fire Nation boy, was there to greet us at the door.

"I'll trust you to show her around," Gorou said to the man.

"Of course, Master," he replied.

When Gorou disappeared around a corner, the boy turned to smile at me. He looked to be around eighteen, a few years older than me.

"So you're the new slave girl?"

I said nothing, unsure whether I was allowed to be rude to him or not.

He laughed. "You can hit me if you want. No one cares what servants do to each other as long as it doesn't bother their masters."

I looked down. Servants. Slaves. That's right. That's what we were.

"Oh," he said, his smile fading. "Sorry, I forgot. You must be new to all of this. Don't worry! You'll get used to it."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked.

"It was, but now that I think about it, it probably wasn't the best reassurance, was it?" He said all this very fast, with an awkward smile on his lips. "Let's start over. I'm Lee."

"Katara," I said. "And I don't really want to hit you. I'm just…."

"I understand," Lee said. "I mean, not completely, because I was never a slave, but I know what it's like to have to serve someone, even though I do it willingly and get paid for it, but anyway—"

"Shut up, Lee," said a voice from behind us. "You're upsetting the new girl."

I turned. A huge bald man stood there with his arms crossed.

"Sorry, Enkou!" Lee said. He brought his mouth to my ear and whispered, "That's Enkou, the cook. Don't eat his cakes! They'll set your tongue on fire!"

"Don't listen to anything he tells you," Enkou said. "He's an idiot."

"How many of you are there?" I asked.

"Just us and—"

"Reshi!" Lee cried. I looked up. Standing at the top of the stairs was a tall, handsome man with dark hair and green eyes. "Here's the new slave girl!"

The man began to walk towards us. His gait was slow and plodding, and I realized that he had a limp. He was supporting himself against the bannister.

"Her name's Katana—wait, no, Ka-Katina? Kat…Kat-something. Sorry, what was it again?"

"Katara."

"Her name's Katara!"

Reshi watched me as he walked down the stairs. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

"Thank you," I said.

"We'll try to help you as much as we can."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

Enkou put a huge hand on my shoulder. "Let's show you around."

The house was not as large as some I had seen on the way here, but compared to the tiny tents of my home, it was enormous. They showed me the laundry room, the kitchen, the dining room, the bathrooms, the living room, and their quarters. When we reached Gorou's room, Lee whispered, "That's where the Master sleeps. Mistress Shun used to sleep there, too, until she got sick of him."

"Shun?" I asked. "His wife?"

"Mm-hmm. She hates his drinking, so she's refusing to share his bed until he stops. He's losing everything because of it, the drinking. He's a noble, but he's barely holding onto his position at court. He's running out of money, too."

"Enough gossip, Lee. It's not polite," Enkou said, and we continued.

After they showed me where Gorou's wife Shun slept now, we came to the last room in the house, an upstairs one with a lovely view of the backyard. My new quarters.

"Your room's a lot nicer than ours," Lee said.

"I'm sure it'll suit your needs fine, Katara," Enkou said.

I smiled at them. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome," Lee said. Enkou smiled back at me.

They both left, but Reshi stayed behind.

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Are you from the Water Nation?"

I nodded.

"Northern?"

"Southern."

"I'm sorry. I don't know the details, but I heard what they did to your home."

I nodded. "Thank you. You've all been very kind."

There was something sad in the way he looked at me.

"You seem intelligent, Katara," he said at last. "You know what's going on here, why Gorou bought you?"

I looked down. "What do you mean?"

"Gorou bought you for two reasons. The first one is relatively benign. He wants you as a status symbol. You're a slave from the Water Tribes, a rarity. And you're beautiful, which leads me into my next point: he _will_ try to hurt you. He wants to make his wife jealous. And so he bought a young girl. He will use you."

"I know," I said.

"I am truly sorry," Reshi said. "There is nothing any of us can do to save you, nothing you can do. I wish I could help. So if you need anything, you can ask me."

"Thank you."

He touched my shoulder, then turned and walked through the door.

I stared after him for a little while. When I could no longer hear the sound of his uneven footsteps, I took a deep breath and began to look at the room. It was simple, austere, with just a futon to sleep on; a wardrobe with a few more dresses, all plain; and the window.

The window really did have a beautiful view. It looked over the backyard. Green grass and more cherry trees, with a large mat covering the center. Some of the blossoms from the trees had fallen to the ground, coating the spots beneath in whites and gentle pinks. It reminded me of snow. Of home.

But I was not home. I was in the Fire Nation. In the midst of enemies.

I would not become complacent.

* * *

I began my work the next day. Lee came to wake me about an hour after dawn and told me what my duties were to be. They were simple, for the most part. Cleaning, fetching things from the market, helping Enkou in the kitchen. I would do anything that was needed of me.

When Lee left, I got dressed in one of the modest servants' uniforms they had provided. My first task was to let Reshi show me where the market was. I met him at the front door and followed him as he led me through the winding city streets.

We walked in silence, for the most part, but it was not awkward, as it had been with Gorou. Reshi spoke only when something needed to be said. But he was not taciturn or sullen. He was so different from anyone I'd met before. Especially Sokka. My brother was always babbling and joking. Reshi, on the other hand, was at peace.

And I found myself wanting to break the silence, not out of a need to say something, but because I wanted to know more about him.

"Are you from the Fire Nation?" I asked. I hadn't been able to tell at once when I saw him. His skin was not as light as the others', and he had green eyes.

"I was born here, yes," he said. "My mother was a citizen, but my father was from the Earth Kingdom."

"Then why were you born here?"

"My mother was a soldier in the war. She was stationed in a small Earth Kingdom city. That's where she met my father. But she was reassigned and brought back here before I was born."

"You never knew your father?"

"No. My mother raised me. And she was good enough for both of them." There was something strange in the way he said, with a hint of anger.

"She sounds like a strong woman."

"She was." He smiled at me. "What about your family?"

Something made me want to open up to Reshi. "My mother was killed in a Fire Nation raid when I was nine, and my father left to fight in the war a few years after. But I still had my brother, Sokka, and Gran Gr—my grandmother. Well, I did, until recently. When the Fire Nation came again."

"I'm sorry," Reshi said. I knew from the way he looked down that he truly meant it. "You've had a hard life."

"Oh, it wasn't so bad," I said. And it hadn't been. If I hadn't focused on what I'd lost and instead focused on what I had, I'd been able to make do. Now…now I had nothing. "Can I ask something?"

"Of course."

"How did—I mean, your leg's hurt, right?"

He nodded. "Battle wound."

I stared. "You were a soldier?"

"I don't look like one, do I? But yes. I was."

"Which—" I stopped myself.

"Which side was I on?" he said, finishing my sentence for me. "I don't think you'll like the answer to that. But I was raised by my mother, not my father."

"Are you a firebender?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "Like my mother."

Something about this didn't add up.

"If you were a soldier, why are you a servant now?"

"I'm not exactly a servant."

"I thought you were the head or something like that."

"I do sleep in the servants' quarters and help around the house, but that's voluntary. I'm more of a tutor."

I furrowed my brow. Why did Gorou need a tutor? The Fire Nation had schools, didn't it? Then I realized.

"You teach Gorou firebending?"

"Yes," he said.

"Are you a master?"

"Yes, though I'm not as good as my mother was. She taught me."

"Is she…?" I trailed off. Why was I asking so many questions? I was acting like a child.

"Dead? Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

I looked at him. "Neither do you."

He smiled at me again, but it did not reach his eyes.

"I wish that were true."

And then we were at the market.

* * *

By the end of the week, I was working independently, without needing to ask any questions of the other servants. But there was always that worm of fear eating away at my mind. Because I knew that one day, Gorou would require more from me than clean clothes and fresh food.

The only thing that seemed to calm my thoughts was what I saw outside my window in the evening, when my duties were done. That was when Reshi would train Gorou in firebending. At first, seeing it just made me feel sad. This was the weapon that had killed my mother, Gran Gran, and most likely my father, too. And Reshi was using it, with such precise skill.

And beauty.

After a while, all I could focus on was the way that he moved. It was like a dance: graceful, fast, striking. I couldn't look away. This was bending. This was true bending.

And then it occurred to me. This _was_ bending. And I was a bender, too. Yes, the element was different. Water was the complete opposite of fire. But the avatar could bend all four elements at once. They must be connected somehow, even in the tiniest way.

I watched Reshi more closely then. Not for the beauty of the movements, but for the movements themselves. Gorou was useless, drunk, often stumbling over his feet. But from Reshi, I was able to learn.

I brought a bucket of water to my room and practiced the moves he showed Gorou. But I also changed them up a bit to fit my knowledge and understanding of water. Water was an adaptive element, flowing from one place to the next. When Reshi kicked, I twirled, bending the water about me. When he punched, I slashed, making the water slice the air. It was hard even to lift the water at first, but, as the months passed, I could have done it with my eyes closed.

But I was always limited. By the small amount of water I had, by the noise my efforts made. I had to do it in secret. Always.

* * *

One day, while I was walking to the market alone and going over last night's moves in my head, I took a wrong turn. I realized my mistake too late to correct it. I was lost.

And then I came upon a cave. I wasn't sure what it was, but I turned a corner and there was an opening in the ground. It was hidden, away from the houses. And it was like another world. Gone were the people and the bustle of the city. In their place was a great pool of water in the center of a field of grass. Light shone down from a hole in the ceiling, the top of a waterfall that fell to land in the pool.

The tears started before I knew what was happening. It was so beautiful. And somehow, though there was no ice, no snow, it reminded me of home. Almost without thinking, I began to bend the water, and there were no limitations now, no restrictions or warnings to hold me back. I danced, my movements wild and free and joyful. I danced until I was soaked in sweat and could barely lift my arms. Only then did I remember that I had a job. I rushed from the cave. The market was not far, and I found it with relative ease. When I returned to Gorou's house and they asked me why I was late, I told the truth: I had gotten lost.

That night, I went to bed with a smile. I knew that now I was a true waterbending master. And I had invented my own style. It was a good start, a good first step towards my goal—to kill you must be able to fight. Now all I had to do was get into the palace. Somehow. It would be hard; I knew that. Hard for more than one reason. Not just anyone was allowed into the palace of course, and I had to get away from Gorou first. But there was more. Despite everything, despite myself, I knew I would miss it here. Miss the beauty. Miss the bending. Miss Lee, miss Enkou. Miss Reshi.

* * *

And then came the night I had been dreading, the night I had almost forgotten about. Lee came to my room when I was in bed. Thankfully, I had already finished bending practice.

It was rare to see him without his grin, but he was not grinning now. His face was somber, sad even.

"The Master wants you," he said.

"Where?" I sat up.

Lee looked away. "In his room."

"Why?" I knew why. I didn't know why I asked. Maybe from the small hope that my certainty was wrong.

"Just…," Lee trailed off. "Don't fight. It'll only make it worse. They kill slaves for the smallest things here, even stealing. We don't want you to die."

I nodded and stood. "Thank you, Lee." I wasn't sure what I was thanking him for.

"I'll tell Reshi," Lee said. "Maybe he can…do something. I don't know."

"He can't," I said. "He already told me he couldn't."

"I'm sorry," he said. He didn't seem to be able to look me in the eye.

"Thank you," I said again. Then I walked past him and to the hall.

It was not far to Gorou's room. And it felt even closer than usual tonight. Too soon, I was at his door.

I had not spoken much to Gorou since he bought me. Lee usually brought my orders to me, and when I passed him in the house, all I had to do was bow and say, "Master." He always greeted me back in a quiet, almost shy voice that nonetheless reeked of alcohol.

I knocked on his bedroom door.

"Come in," said a voice from beyond.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Gorou sat on the bed, dressed in a loose silk robe. I was in the night clothes that had come with my room, a plain black dress of linen, my hair tied up in a traditional Fire Nation knot with a small cord.

I stepped into the room and bowed. They'd taught me how to bow to my superiors before they sold me. Straighten your hand and place your fist beneath it vertically, then bend your back while keeping it rigid. I was grateful for that training now, as it allowed me to look away from him for at least a few more seconds.

"Close the door behind you," he said.

I stood upright and did so.

He did not sound drunk. He never sounded drunk, even though he always was. He wouldn't lash out in anger or laugh at nothing. The only way to know if he was clear-headed or not was to smell his breath and watch his movements. I'd become good at sensing his state. So I could tell now, despite the lack of the normal signs, that he was not sober. Very not sober.

"Come here." He gestured at me. I walked forward, towards him.

It was hard to look at him. Whether out of embarrassment, fear, or hatred, I couldn't tell.

"Sit," he said. I sat on the foot of the bed. My body was tense.

He shifted, and the motion rippled through the mattress. I clenched my fists on my lap. Something brushed my shoulder, and I stiffened even more. It was Gorou's hand. He was touching me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

His hand moved down, to the hem of my dress, and pulled, lifting it up, drawing it across my legs. I let him take it off completely, but I did nothing to help him. When he was done, he removed my undergarments as well, until I was naked before him. I refused to turn and look at him. It took all my strength not to cover myself with my arms.

I heard a rustling from behind me. He had stood up. Footsteps then, circling the bed. He stopped in front of me. My fingernails dug into my palms. He knelt down before me and touched my chin, lifting my face up. My eyes met his.

I held back my tears. I would not cry. I would not cry. I would not cry. I would not—

A tear fell down his cheek.

I blinked.

He was crying. Gorou was crying.

"I can't," he said, his voice breaking. "I can't."

And then my tears began to fall as well.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," I said.

I shouldn't be feeling like this. I felt, not relieved exactly, but grateful. I felt grateful to him. I felt as though he had saved me. Saved me by choosing not to rape me.

"Don't thank me," he said. "I'm—how could I have—I bought you for…," he trailed off. "I bought you because I wanted to make Shun jealous. I'm so lonely. I need her. I need her back."

"Do you want me to go?" I asked. I had control of myself again, and I took a moment to brush away the water from my eyes.

"No!" he said, too loudly. "Please. I want her to think—think that—Just stay with me."

"Yes, Master," I said.

I reached for my clothes, then hesitated, glancing back at him. But he nodded and turned away.

When I was dressed, I said, "Would you like me to sleep on the floor, Master?"

"You can sleep there." He pointed to the end of the bed. I felt tired, too tired to be insulted at the idea of sleeping at his feet like a polar dog. I lay down and curled up on the blankets. The bed shook as he got in at the top.

I was asleep before he even blew out the candle.

* * *

I woke up before Gorou, a bit after dawn, at my usual waking hour. It was time to start working. I stood, being careful not to wake Gorou, and walked to the door.

When I opened it and looked at the opposite wall, I had to clap a hand to my mouth to keep myself from gasping. Reshi was sleeping propped up on the wall across from Gorou's room. The way his head was hanging forward made it look like he had fallen asleep on guard duty. I closed the door behind me and knelt next to him.

"Reshi," I whispered, shaking his arm. "Reshi."

His neck jerked up, and he looked around. When he saw me, his tense body relaxed a little. Then he seemed to remember something, as he lifted a hand to my cheek and brushed it with the tips of his fingers.

"Katara, I'm sorry," he said. "Are you all right?"

"Were you out here all night?" I asked.

"In case you needed me," he said. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "He didn't do anything. He said he couldn't. He just really misses his wife. He wants to make her jealous."

A mix of emotions flitted through his eyes. "That idiot," he said. Then he threw his arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. "But I'm so glad."

I let out a tiny laugh, more because I was relieved than because anything was funny.

"Come on," he said, letting me go and getting to his feet. "I'll take you to your room."

He helped me stand and then led me down the hall.

When the door was closed, he let out a deep breath.

"Why did you stay out there all night?" I asked. "You knew you couldn't do anything."

"I know," Reshi said. "I just…I couldn't stand to do nothing."

"Why?" I asked. "You really seem to hate the idea of all this."

"Should I not?"

"No, it's a good thing. I just want to know why."

He sighed. "I told you about my mother, right? That she was a soldier, and my father was from the Earth Kingdom?"

I nodded.

"And that she got transferred back to the Fire Nation before I was born?"

"Yes."

He sighed again.

"My father—I can't even call him that—raped my mother. He was a rebel. He didn't even know her; she didn't know him. He just grabbed her during an attack. That's what I am: a product of violence."

"But your mother loved you!" I stared at him. "She would never want you to think that way. It wasn't your fault, what that man did!"

"I know," Reshi said. He smiled. It was not a happy smile. Then he put a hand to the side of my head. "I've grown out of believing that I was somehow guilty. But thank you. I'm just glad you're all right."

"Me too," I said. And then I was crying again, and I didn't know why. "Me too."


	3. All's Fair

Chapter Three

All's Fair

I'd asked Reshi not to tell anyone that nothing had happened. Gorou wanted Shun to think that something _had_ happened, so the fewer people who knew, the better. It hurt to see the looks of sadness on Enkou and Lee's faces when they saw me, but I couldn't do anything to reassure them.

And then one day, there came a knock on the door to my room in the evening when Gorou and Reshi were firebending. I moved my water bucket into a corner and went to answer.

It came as a surprise, though I suppose it really shouldn't have. It was Gorou's intention, after all, in a way. To have Shun take notice.

Because that's who was at the door. Gorou's wife. Shun.

I dropped into a low bow, my back almost sloping downward.

"Mistress," I said.

I held my hands steady, though they wanted to shake. From this woman's point of view, I had invaded her home and stolen away her husband, never mind that I had no choice in the matter. She would hate me; that much was certain. But why was she here? To torment me? Or to tell me to leave?

"Your name is Katara, no?" I heard her say.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Let me see your face, Katara."

I straightened up, letting my arms fall back to my sides. I could not look her in the eyes, so instead I stared at her shoes.

"Look at me, child," she said. "I want to see your eyes."

I took a deep breath and moved my head up. And for the first time, I got a good look at her face. She had been a beauty once; that much was clear. She still was, in a way. Though there were streaks of gray in her glossy black hair and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth, she had a strength to her that radiated from her skin in a pale glow.

She smiled, and her face was all the more striking because of it.

"Well, you are lovely," she said.

"Thank you, Mistress."

"I can see why my husband bought you," she said, her smile fading a bit.

"Mistress, I am so sor—"

"Don't apologize, Katara," Shun said. "While I can't pretend to rejoice in your presence here, I understand your position. I won't hate you for something you can't control."

I stared at her.

She gave a tiny giggle. "Close your mouth, girl. It ill becomes you."

I snapped it shut. Then I opened it again and asked, "Mistress, do you need something?"

She tilted her head. "In a way, I do. Though you may not believe me, I love my husband. I want him to come back to me."

"Forgive me, Mistress, but didn't you leave him?"

"Quite true," she said. "It hasn't seemed to work, has it? I'd hoped he loved me more than his drinking and would give it up if it meant my return. But he's more foolish than I thought."

"Then why did you come to me?" I asked.

"Katara, you and I have something in common. We are both women. You are too young to have realized this yet, but we women are different from men in more ways than the obvious. While men may get their way by rushing ahead and acting like barbarians, we cannot. We must be clever and cunning and occasionally sneaky to get what we want. I could just tell Gorou to stop his vile hobby, but that would accomplish nothing. Instead, I must make him think that he himself had the idea of giving it up. That is the only way to get men to do anything good with themselves."

It was a cynical way to look at things. Then I thought of Sokka. Perhaps it had some truth to it, after all.

"So," she continued, "to answer your question: I came to you to propose a deal."

I blinked. A deal? She was my owner. Why not just give me my orders and be done?

"I'll do whatever it takes, Mistress," I said.

"Good. I'm glad. I could have asked one of the other servants to do this, but I thought it better for me to meet you and diffuse some of the tension in this house." She gestured to my room. "May I come in?"

"Of course!" I said, moving back to allow her to enter. She walked inside, and I closed the door behind her.

"Gorou keeps most of his money in a chest in his room, for ease of access. What I need you to do is put it in bags and give it to me. Gorou will notice that it's gone and tell the city guard. They will investigate and determine that it has been stolen, so he will come to me and beg for drinking money. Of course, I won't give it to him. After he's had a few months of sobriety, I will reveal what happened to his gold, but by then, he will, with luck, have overcome his addiction."

I listened to all this without changing my face. It was an interesting plan, but I wasn't sure it would turn out well. There were so many opportunities for disaster.

"Are you certain, Mistress?" I asked. "What if it doesn't work?"

"There is that possibility," she agreed. "But I have to try something. Katara, you have a family, don't you? One that you are now separated from? If you had the opportunity to get them back, even if there were a likelihood it wouldn't work, you'd try it, no?"

I thought of Sokka. Of Gran Gran and Father. Of Mother. And I nodded.

She touched my cheek. "Thank you, Katara."

"When should I start?" I asked.

Shun walked over to the window and looked down at Gorou and Reshi. It was still light outside. They had only just begun practice.

"They have hours ahead of them yet. I think that should be enough time." She turned back to me. "I'll keep Lee and Enkou occupied."

I nodded. My heart was beginning to beat faster. Shun turned away and opened the door.

"The bags for the gold are in my room. The key to the chest is in the top drawer of his dresser," she said. "Good luck, Katara."

"Thank you, Mistress."

She smiled at me and left.

I took a deep breath and followed, heading towards Shun's room. Once I got the empty bags, I walked the familiar path to Gorou's room.

The chest of coins was not hard to find. I had seen it before without realizing it, when Gorou called me to him. It was large, intricate, made of dark wood, with tiny detailed carvings of dragons flying over a battle field. I could see every one of the dragons' scales. He must have bought it in happier, more prosperous times. I went to the dresser and opened its top drawer. The key was sitting on a messy pile of clothes. I took it and walked back to the chest.

The chest was less than half full, and many of the coins inside were not gold, but silver and copper. The rumors Lee had told me about Gorou's drinking taking up their money were true, it seemed.

Without wasting any more time, I took the bags and began filling them with coins. Even though the chest was not full, I had to make several trips to Shun's room to get all the filled bags to her. I was sweating by the end of it, not because of the weights I carried, but because of the fear that Gorou would return at any minute.

It took about an hour, and then I was done.

Shun was in the kitchen, watching Enkou cook with Lee's help.

When Lee saw me enter the room, his smile faded, and he threw a meaningful glance at Shun. His intent was obvious; he didn't know Shun had forgiven me and was trying to warn me she was there. To show him that everything was all right, I walked up to Shun and said, "Mistress, I've finished the task you wanted me to do."

She turned to me. "Thank you, Katara."

I nodded and walked back towards the door. But before I could leave, Shun said, "Oh, one more thing, dear. Could you possibly go to the market and bring back some fish for the stew tonight?"

"Of course, Mistress."

She smiled at me, and I returned it.

* * *

There were guards at the house when I got back. Gorou must have discovered the missing money. Lee, Enkou, Reshi, Shun, and Gorou were all outside. They turned when they heard me approach. I looked to Reshi first and was surprised by what I saw. There was something in his eyes, not his usual kindness, but a sort of urgency, as though he were trying to scream a warning without opening his mouth. I stopped walking. Something was wrong here.

As soon as I thought that, a hand clapped down on my shoulder. I whirled around. Another guard stood there.

"Is this the one?" he asked.

"That's her," Gorou said.

"What—" Before I could finish, the guard pulled my arm back. Pain flashed through me, and my knees buckled, crashing against the ground. I let out a cry, but it was too late. The guard slammed manacles closed around my wrists.

"You're under arrest for theft from your master, slave," he said.

"What?" I said. "I didn't steal!"

"Your master's money went missing, and we found bags of gold hidden under your bed. What kind of fools do you think we are?"

And then it all made sense. My head snapped towards Shun. She was standing next to Gorou, and he had his arm around her.

"I'm sorry, love," he was saying. "I'll never betray you by bringing a little thief into our home again."

I stared at Shun, too angry and shocked for fear. She had done this! She had planted the gold in my room, all to get me out of the house! I remembered what she had said about women needing to be cunning and sneaky to get what they want. She had betrayed me!

The guard dragged me to my feet, and I found my tongue.

"She told me to!" I shouted. "Shun told me to steal it!"

No one paid me any attention. And then the guard began to pull me away, towards the center of the city.

Nothing I could do would convince them. I was just a slave from the Water Tribes, and she was a Fire Nation noble. I would not demean myself by begging.

But I couldn't help but ask the guard, "Where are you taking me?"

"To the prisons," he said. "Don't expect a trial, though. Slaves don't have the rights of normal people. Get caught stealing, and you get executed."

And then the fear began. I knew how the Fire Nation executed its prisoners. That was my fate.

I would be burned alive.


	4. A Blackmailed Promise

Chapter Four

A Blackmailed Promise

The Fire Nation held executions at night. Flames are most beautiful in the dark, went their reasoning. They made their murders into events, publicizing them and profiting. It was entertainment and warning both, the former for the nobles, the latter for the slaves.

I spent two days in the prisons, waiting for them to kill me. I'm sure there's a way to make peace with your life and accept your death. But I could not find it. As far as I saw, I had done nothing with my life, and all I was leaving behind was an unfulfilled promise; I would never avenge my family and home. But it did not matter. When night fell on the second day, they came for me nonetheless.

They did not have to drag me. I walked along with them. Though I had not found peace, I would not show them my fear, my pain. I would not give them the satisfaction. Together, the guards and I came to the city square.

My stomach churned when I saw the stake in the center of the square. They would set the fire in the hay around me and let the flames lick up and down my body, slowly making my skin bubble and burst.

I looked around to distract myself.

It didn't help. Because I saw what the merchants were doing.

They were selling fire flakes. At my execution.

And it was this, of all things, that made me start to cry.

Tears poured down my cheeks as the guards tied me to the wooden pole. People were murmuring around me. It was not the angry murmur of a mob. No. It was the cheerful murmur of an excited crowd. There were a few silences here and there from the other slaves. They stared at me, but it was not pity or compassion in their eyes. It was fear. They didn't care about me, not really. All that mattered in their minds was that this could happen to them if they stepped out of line.

I wanted to think of my family in my final moments, but all that would come to me was hatred. Hatred of Shun for betraying me like this. Hatred of Gorou for buying me. Hatred of the Fire Nation and its phoenix king for enslaving me in the first place.

My breathing quickened when I saw the executioner approaching me. I knew what he was from the mask he wore: a flaming demon. He stopped right in front of me. A man before us announced my "crime," and quiet fell around us.

The executioner raised his hand to light my pyre with his bending.

"Stop!"

A voice from the crowd rang out.

Too late.

The executioner's fist shot forward and spewed its flames at the straw around me.

The blast of heat was immediate. I closed my eyes.

I opened them again when I heard the executioner yell. Someone had pushed him out of the way. The stranger jumped up towards me, thrusting his hands out and splitting the fire as a knife splits flesh. He drew two swords from a sheath across his back and struck the chains from my wrists. He grabbed my shoulders, and we jumped away from the flames.

The stranger straightened up. His face was hidden behind a cloak, but he now threw back the hood.

He had black hair; amber eyes; and a sharp, proud face. I didn't recognize him.

But the others did, as they all fell to their knees and bowed as one.

"I order you to stop in the name of my father, the Phoenix King!"

I stiffened. Father? Father, the Phoenix King? Then this must be…

"Prince Zuko!" The captain of the guard, who had not moved since the start, now came forward. "What is it? This slave is sentenced to die."

"I'm un-sentencing her," he said. "Let her go."

"But why? She has stolen from her master, My Prince. She must be punished, according to Fire Nation law. If we let her go, the other slaves will think they're free to—"

"Slaves aren't koala sheep, Captain," the prince said. "They won't follow someone they know almost got executed."

"But, Prince Zuko—"

"Are you arguing with me, Captain?" The prince's voice grew quiet, so that everyone focused all their beings on trying to hear him. "Would you like me to go tell my father—?"

"No, no, My Prince!" the captain said. "Of course you are entitled. I am your humble servant. I—"

"Thank you, Captain," said the prince. He put his hand to my waist and pushed me forward. We began to walk into an alley. "I'll tell my father you are still a loyal citizen."

"Yes, yes, Prince Zuko! Thank you!"

The prince led me away. When at last we were out of earshot, he took his hand off me.

I hated myself right then. This was one of the men who had destroyed my home, conquered the world, killed my family, and enslaved me. And all I felt towards him was gratitude. After all he'd done to me, I wanted to thank him.

The tears kept falling. He stopped walking.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

I would kill him. I would _kill_ him. I would kill him for making me feel like this. Him and everyone he loved.

And there was only one way to do that. I thought again about what Shun had told me. We women need to be cunning to get what we want.

I turned to look at him. "Thank you," I said. I was still crying. It added to the effect.

He gave me an awkward nod, then took a step back.

"You can go now," he said. "You're free."

Freedom? No, that was not what I wanted. Not now. I was not free. No matter what, I would always be a slave to my desire for revenge.

"Go where?" I asked.

"Anywhere." He turned and started to walk away.

"I have nowhere _to_ go."

"That's not my problem."

I couldn't help it; I laughed. He was confirming everything I knew about the Fire Nation. And then I felt the hatred pour into me. My tongue seemed to move on its own.

"What a hero!" I shouted after him. "Why save me in the first place if you're just going to make me die in the streets? Free? Ha! There's no life outside of slavery and prostitution for a Water Tribe girl in the Fire Nation!"

He whirled around and strode back towards me.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

My eyes met his. I would not back down.

"Take me to the palace. Let me be a servant."

"I can't."

"You're the prince!" I said. "You can do anything you want!"

"No, I can't. What I just did—saving you—that was illegal. My father will be furious when he finds out!"

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because I wanted to do something good for once in my life!"

We were screaming at each other now.

"Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but abandoning someone to die isn't a 'good deed.'"

He was shaking with rage, his teeth clenched. Then all the fight appeared to seep out of him.

"Fine," he said.

"What?"

"Come with me. But if Father finds out, it's your funeral, not mine."

"Fine." I shot his own word back at him.

He started to walk off towards another, wider street, and I followed him.

When my anger cooled, I berated myself. This was not how I wanted to begin our relationship. I needed to get close to him to kill him. So I bit back my pride and said, "I'm sorry."

"No you're not," he said. "And if you are, it's only because you got what you wanted."

"I'm not apologizing for trying to survive," I said, my annoyance surging up again. "I'm apologizing because I shouted at you."

He shook his head. "I don't care."

After a moment of silence, I asked, "Why did you think that saving me would be doing something good with your life? According to your laws, I'm a condemned criminal."

He scoffed. "Because it's wrong and cruel to execute someone for stealing."

"I didn't steal."

"It doesn't matter. No one deserves that."

I almost spat at him. How could he believe that and yet turn a blind eye to my family's death? Hypocrite! He was the son of the Phoenix King, one of the conquerors, and he thought himself noble for "saving" one girl!

I decided to change the subject.

"What will my position be at the palace?" I asked.

"You'll be a servant."

"I know that," I said, trying to keep myself from rolling my eyes. "There are different kinds of servants, aren't there?"

"Can you cook?" he asked. "Sew?"

"Why do you just assume that that's all I can do?" I said. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I couldn't keep my anger from controlling me. "Cooking and sewing aren't the only things girls are good for." I almost added, _you sexist pig_, but just managed to bite that part off.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sorry," I said again.

"You'll probably just help around."

"Right."

We walked in silence for a while. But I filled that silence with my thoughts. What could I do to get close to this boy and his family? The answer was obvious: I needed to seduce him. But how? He didn't seem to like, let alone love, anything but himself. I looked at him. He was around seventeen, I knew. A man in full. And, despite my attempts to deny it, he was handsome. I couldn't even imagine how many women, beautiful noble women, must throw themselves at him daily. And he hadn't accepted any of them. Somehow, I had to be different. So I would not throw myself at him. I would play hard to get. In other words, I would be myself. Could it really be that simple?

And then we were at the palace gates. I had never seen them before. But we did not go through them. Indeed, we gave them a wide berth and continued walking right.

"Where are we going?" I asked. "Isn't that the way to the palace?"

"There's more than one way to the palace. This is one is quicker and safer."

"You mean you don't want to be seen," I said. Then it dawned on me. "You're not supposed to be out here at all."

He stiffened.

"I see," I continued. "You're sneaking out at night because you've gotten sick of staying there all your life. So you dress up as a commoner and leave."

"Stop laughing," he said.

"I'm laughing because I think it's great!" I said.

"You do?" he said, looking at me as though I had gone insane. "_You_ think something's great?"

"Yes," I said. "I want in."

He groaned. "I should've known this was coming. Let me guess: if I don't bring you with me whenever I go out now, you'll tell my father about it all."

"Good guess," I said.

"This is blackmail," he said.

"Yes it is," I agreed.

"Why do you want to come?"

I took a deep breath and looked away, at the moon. "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. I've only been here a year, and I don't know anything about this place. I want to learn. I want to learn the good things, as well as the bad. I want to be able to have a home again."

It was a lie, of course. Nothing would ever let me call this place home. I was doing it to get closer to him. He was not the sort to want a porcelain doll who would just agree with everything he said; I knew that now. I looked back, and our eyes met.

He sighed. "Fine."

I gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

We came to a statue of a beautiful woman by the wall. There was a red and orange jewel set in a ring on her finger. Zuko moved towards her and glanced around for witnesses. Then he sent a small stream of fire at the jewel.

And the statue moved.

It swiveled and turned in a circle, revealing a hole beneath it.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zuko jumped down into the darkness. A muffled thud came from the pit as he landed. I stepped closer and peered over the edge. I couldn't see the bottom; it was completely black.

"Prince Zuko?" I hissed.

A light appeared, illuminating the hole. He had conjured a ball of flame in the palm of his hand.

"Come on," he said. "When the statue's jewel loses its heat, the door will close. Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid!"

"Then jump," he said.

I took a deep breath. To hesitate now would be to surrender.

I closed my eyes and jumped.

A feeling of weightlessness made my stomach shoot up into empty air, and I let out a noise that was half shriek, half laugh. The skirts of my dress blew up, revealing my legs. But what did it matter? I let them show.

He caught me before I hit the ground. His right hand pressed into my back, his left to my bare thigh, holding me close. My eyes met his, but I looked away, as though I couldn't hold his gaze.

"Thank you," I said.

He let me go with a nod.

I glanced around. There were five different tunnels leading away from where we were. I couldn't see more than ten feet by the light of his fire. They all looked the same—shadowed gray stone without cracks or dirt.

"It's this way," he said, pointing to the middle tunnel.

We began to walk.

I would not try to talk to him, I decided. There would be time enough for that later. No need to force the issue. I would speak when I had something to say. He didn't look the type to enjoy mindless chatter. Thoughts of Sokka came spilling into my head then. Mindless chatter was pretty much all he knew how to do. But he was gone now, taken from me. I wondered if I would ever see him again. No. I would not. If I succeeded and killed the royal family, I would be executed. And if I didn't succeed and stayed alive, we would still be slaves.

Soon enough, we came to the end of the tunnel. There was nothing there but a wall. I looked at him.

"What—"

But then he pushed against the wall. To my surprise, it swung open, and Zuko walked through into the hallway beyond. I followed him, carefully stepping over the threshold of the hidden door.

And, just like that, I was in the palace.

It was more peaceful than I had imagined. There were no skulls or iron spikes or towers of red flame. It was just a long corridor—dark, true, and lit by torches, but not sinister, not exactly. Normal.

Zuko turned to me.

"I leave from here every Monday at midnight."

"Sounds good," I said. "I'll meet you here next Monday then."

He grunted and started walking away, down the hall, letting the hood of his cloak fall as he went.

"Hello?" I said, letting out an exasperated huff. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"I wish." He looked back at me. "The servants' quarters are that way, down the stairs, and the first door on the left."

I tightened my lips in surprise. How did he know where the servants' quarters were? I'd assumed such a pompous prince would never take the time to learn about his underlings. But maybe I was wrong. Or maybe he just liked exploring.

"And I'm supposed to just say—what?—'Hi there, I'm the new Water Tribe servant you know nothing about, sneaking in here at midnight! Don't mind me, everyone!'"

"Talk to Makon," Zuko said. "She's been getting new servants every day lately."

Again, I was surprised. He knew the servant mistress's name?

"Thank you." I bit my lip. "And…sorry." I'd apologized a lot that night, but this was the only time I meant it.

He nodded at me and continued walking away.

I turned the other way, taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly.

And now I was an assassin. But I couldn't just rush in. What I needed was patience. I smiled despite myself.

Patience like water.


End file.
